Smyrna times., 1887-07-27
THE PIECE OF BREAD.

The young Duke de Hardimont wa
passing some days at AK in Savoy, wher
he was causing his famous mare PericbOl
who had been broken winded since sb
caught a chill at the Derby-tO take tn
waters, when, glancing Carelessly over til
paper one morning just after breakfast
he read there the news of the disaster r
RichshOffen.
He emptied his glass of Chartreusp
laid his napkin down ON the restauro n
table, gave his valet orders to pack hi
trunks, took the express two hours late
for Paris and hurried to the recruitin.
Office for the purpose Of enlisting in
regiment Of the line
Now, though the Duke de HardimOn
had led the enervating life of a petit GREY,
this was the term in mode at that tim,
from ~ to 20, though he had done hi,
DesC 10 degrade his nature in the stables
OF the race course and in the bOudOirs
OF the opera singers, yet there were oc
easlOns on which he could not forget
that Enguerraud de Hardimont died Of
the plague at Tunis on the same dav wifi
st. Louis, that Jean de Hardimont
commanded the Great Companies undel
Du Gueschu, and that Francois Henri
de HardimOnt was killed while makinn
charge with MaisOn Rouge at Fonte
noy. However enervating his scandalOus
and senseless amOurs with Lucy ViOlette
the pFima donna of the Nudites Paris.
lennes, yet when the young duke learned
that battle had been lost by the French
on French soil, he felt the blood mount Ia
MS forehead, and experienced for the mo-
ment a horrible sensation. as if he had
Just received slap in the face
Ihus 1t was that in the early part of
November, of 1870, having re-entered
r"Ils win ms regiment, which formed
part OF the corps of Winery, Henri de
Hardlmont, fusilier, third man of the
second line, and member Of the Jockey
club, formed, with his company. mart Of
Ine main guard in front Of the redOubt of
hautes Bruyeres, position fortified in
haste and protected by the cannon of the
fort of Bicetre.
The scene was a desolate one-a road
nanked by stunted trees and broken mn nv
muddy by paths traversing the sicxlv
looking fields Of the suburbs. and on one
side Of this road a deserted inn. an inn
with arbOrs, of which the soldiers had
made their guard house. An engagement
mad taken place there few DAYS before:
Jne grape shot had cut asunder several
OF the saplings by the roadside. and thev
all bore on their bark the white scars LEFT
Dy Jhe shot. As to the house itself. its
aspect made one shudder; the roof had
Deeh sunk IN by shell, and the walls. of
the color OF muddy wine. looked rs IF
they had been painted with blood The
empty arbOrs, rooted by network of larly
branches; the casks turned bottom nm
ward, the swing, the wet cords of which
creaked in the wind, and the words over
the door defaced by balls -''Priyate rooms
Nermouth: Wine go centimes a litre',E
which served as a frame to the picture of
adead rabbit with two billiard cues crossed
and tied together By ribbon underneatb
all recalled with cruel irony the Sundoy
pleasures Of the people in davs GONE nv
And overhead dreary winter sky. across
winch were passing large leaden clouds
sky low, gloomy and threatening.
A tie door of the inn the youny duke
stood m0tiOnless, his chassepot slime
across his shoulder, his kepe drawn over
ms eyes, his benumbed hands thrust into
the pockets OF his red trousers, shivering
INSIDE ms sheep skin cloak. He had given
hliLiseH up 70 gloomy meditation, the
soldier OF defeat, and was watching with
heartbfOken glance the line of hills fadino,
away IN the mist, above which arose. In
rapid succession, ACCOMPANIED each time
by detOnation, the white puffs Of smoke
OF the Krupp cannon.
All at once he was conscious of n sensa-
tlOn OF hunger He knelt down on ono
Knee and took from his knapsacl< which
rested against the wall beside him. n
large piece Of ammunition bread: then "a
ne had lost his knife, he broke it off bit
Dy DIT, with his teeth, and ate it SLOWLY
but after few mouthfuls he had had
enough; the bread was hard and had n
Ditter taste. And there would be no
fresh bread until tO-mOrrOw's Distribution
ana Ihen only in case the cOnmissariat
should think fit to distribute it. THE nro-
fession was, in truth, at times q. rather |
rough one; and all at once there came ii |
mind the thought of what he used tO cali I
H7 hygienic breakfasts. when, on the
morning after supper OF a too stimnIa- |
ung Character, he would sit opposife a |
window on the ground floor Of the Cafa |
Angiais, and Order-gOOd heavensl the
heresb trifie-an omelette with asparagus
and the head waiter, knowing his habits
would place on the table slender bottle 1
Oh OLD Seville, resting softly in basket
,r and uncork It carefully. Deuce take It'll |
l llilI was pleasant time after all and he
y 'o',lu y, :. never pe able TO accustOm himself
to this miserable fare.
And in a moment of in,DatieDca 4l,h
young man flung the rest of the pieoe of
Dread ne BAD been eatingin the mud. !
Atthe same instant a private Of tbe line
came out of the ruin; he stOoped down
picked up the piece Of bread, withdrew n
le" steps, wiped the mud from it with his
sleeve and began to devour it eagerly
ilehrl dc HardimOnt was already ashamed
'i ms action, and gazed with pity at the
poor devil who had given proof of so GOOD
m appetite. He was q tall and loose bniIt
youth with feverish eyes and a heard that
betrayed recent sOjOurn in the bOspitaI
and so thin that his shoulder blades were
sharply defined through the cloth of his
well worn cape
You seem to be very hungry, COM
,ade' said the duke, approaching the SOL
"As you see,' responded the latter With
his mouth full.
Forgive me, then; If / had known Won
would like to eat it, should not have
lhrowI. away my bread.''
thGre is no harm done, 4" replied the
soldier II am not so very delicate In INV
NO matter, +" said the nobleman; 'swhat
dld was wrong, and / reprOach myself
-or It. But ! do not want YOU 10 take
away with you a bad opinion OF me. and
IS have some old cognac in my canteen
-parbleu, We viii drink it together
The man had finished eating. The dniso
md he each took swallow Of brandy In
acquaintance was made.
And you are called said the SOL
Iier.
l1ardimont, responded the duke, sun
'ressing bis title and the prefix to his
lame And yOug EtTTl
jean Victor. j have only recently Joined
he company-I've just left the ambu-
anee-l was wounded at Chatill0n. All,
was very pleasant IN the ambulance;
he nurse gives one such good horse flesh
oun. But had only a scratch, and the !